A Mother's Love
by alydhe
Summary: It’s all beginning again. Jenova refuses to die, turning instead to her youngest child for victory. Future CidxVincentxCloud, past ZackxCloud and CloudxAeris
1. White

**Title:** Alone  
**Fandom:** Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children  
**Characters:** Cid Highwind/Vincent Valentine/Cloud Strife  
**Prompt:** 019. White  
**Word Count:** 311   
**Rating:** G  
**Summary:** Zack and Aeris know that Cloud has feelings for two of his teammates, and attempt to persuade him to move on. 

White surrounded him, nearly blinding him, as the flowers at his feet brushed gently against his him from a wind that didn't even exist. He both loved and hated this part of the lifestream. On the one hand, he got see and talk to the two people he loved most. On the other hand, if he touched them or even moved to quickly, the dream ended.

"I'm sorry, Cloud. We never meant for you to be so lonely," Aeris whispered behind him, leaning her cheek against his shoulder. He wished he could lean back into her touch.

"Spike, we love you, but were dead. Nothing is going to change that. If you want to honor us, then move on." Zack was standing in front him, an earnest expression on his face.

Cloud felt Aeris' lips moving, "We know how you feel about them."

Cloud shook his head, "And if Sephiroth comes back? Or another of Hojo's 'experiments'? Look what happened to Marlene and Denzel, and they're only the children I took in. I've already lost two lovers, I'm not putting two more in danger."

Zack snorted at him. "Riiight, Spike. Cid was in the military and has an attitude the size of Midgar. Vincent is an nearly immortal ex-Turk with several demons living in his head. I think they can handle themselves."

"I can't promise that Sephiroth won't come back, Cloud. But haven't you learned, already, that you can't fight him alone? You need people. You need something to fight for. _Someone_ to fight for."

"Then I'll fight for my friends."

And hope it would be enough.


	2. Beginnings

**Title:** A Mother's Love: Chapter 2 - A Sleeping Enemy  
**Fandom:** Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children  
**Characters:** Cid Highwind/Vincent Valentine/Cloud Strife  
**Prompt:** .001 Beginnings  
**Word Count:** 944  
**Rating:** G  
**Summary:** It's all beginning again. Jenova refuses to die, turning instead to her youngest child for victory.  
**Author's Notes:** Wow, this... didn't turn out the way I'd planned. Just as I'd started on this chapter, Jenova pops up and starts whispering suggestions. Then Zack shows up and demanded eye candy, so Cloud ended up naked for a good part of this. Please feel free to leave comments and constructive criticism. Also, as I don't have a beta, please do point out any grammatical mistakes. I try to catch them but I can sometimes be rather bad at it. Anywho, enjoy!

BTW, come one, guys. I've had almost 40 hits and 1 alert and the first chapter has only been up about 24 hours. Is it really so hard to hit that little blue button and tell me what you think? A few words, that's all I ask for.

_  
"Cloud." _

_The whisper slides through his sleeping mind, causing him to shiver and toss on the sweat soaked bed. _

_Her arms were as cold and hard as marble as they slid around his naked flesh. He found he couldn't move, only lay limply in her arms as she embraced him. _

_Her silver hair was draped over his back, sending shivers up his spine as she nuzzled him and it slid silkily across his skin. _

_"My child. My youngest. **Mine**." _

_He wanted to scream. _

_"Why do hurt your mother, so? Why do you not come to me? You want to be loved. You want to be known. I can bring you that dream. I can make you a **god**among men. They will know you, love you,******fear **you."_

_Gods, he didn't want to hear any more. Why couldn't he move? Aeris! Zack! Please someone do something. _

_"Cloud?" _

_The soft, warm voice washed through him, chasing away some of the ice that had settled in his soul. The voice seemed to take in what was going on, then, and Cloud felt her anger spike through him. _

_"How dare you! Get away from him!" _

_Two angry voices now. Mother screamed as green heat crashed over them both. Cloud embraced it and it flowed through him, comforting him. _

_Mother didn't like it as much. With a screech of pain she released Cloud and ran from the power of the angry Cetra and spirit._

Two figures were standing over Cloud's bed, calling to him with worried voices.

"Cloud? Please wake up. Cloud?"

"C'mon Spike, open those pretty blues for me."

Groaning, Cloud acquiesced. The two spirits above him sighed in relief.

"Zack, what happened? Was that..."

"Jenova," Zack's grim voice finished for him. Aeris laid a gentle hand on his cheek and smiled sadly down at him. "We don't know how she was able to do that. You never had enough of her cells in you to allow that, before. We're not sure what's changed."

"I'm sorry we didn't realize what was happening, Spike. You shouldn't have had to deal with her."

Cloud pulled himself up and tiredly leaned against the headboard. His whole body ached slightly from having been so cold.

"Am I going to be a puppet, again?" He asked despondently. He hadn't even been able to put up a token resistance. She'd just completely taken over.

Aeris and Zack glanced worriedly at one another before Aeris shook her head. "I don't think so. She was only able to keep you still. Your being able to call us tells us that she can't control your mind."

"And if she just needs more time? What if she's still recovering from Kadaj's defeat and losing her head?" Cloud knew what would happen if she gained control of him. As much as he hated to admit it, he doubted anyone would be able to appose him if he were truly taken over.

He sighed deeply and looked at his former lovers, drinking them in. "Maybe... maybe it's time for me to go. The planet can't possibly want me as her protector if I can be compromised like this. Even if she managed to take over some one else, the others would be strong enough to deal with them."

They shook their heads, wistful looks on their faces, "As much as I'd love to hold you again, Spike, you deserve a chance at life. You can't let this beat you."

Aeris laid her head against the SOLDIER's shoulder, trying to comfort him as best she could. "Gaia believes in you, Cloud. She will not give you up so easily."

Maybe Cloud should feel honored that the planet would put that much trust in him but he couldn't deny the flash of resentment. "Then what do we do?"

"Call in the reinforcements. Those tree hugging terrorists you call teammates are pretty tough and you need to find out how many pieces of Jenova that rat bastard Hojo hid around before things get too bad."

The idea had merit. If they could find what piece they'd missed when they'd destroyed her before then maybe they could get rid of it before she got a foothold.

With some sort of plan settled on, Cloud stood up and started getting dressed. He didn't bother with trying to hide his body from the two spirits. Being a science experiment for five years had left him with little modesty. Besides, both had seen it before. Before and after death, he thought wryly. Several times he'd had them pop in and whistle at him while in the shower.

Zack eyed the untouchable feast before him and smirked in satisfaction. While Jenova was no laughing matter, some good might come out of this. With the team back together, maybe he and Aeris could pull a few strings and get the stubborn man to admit his feelings for Vincent and Cid.

---elsewhere---

Within a long abandoned lab, a single light cuts through the darkness. The bright green glow of the mako tube reveals the heart floating inside. The rate of it's beating increases as Jenova seethes. The Cetra girl and her idiot SOLDIER thought they could take her child from her. When she was once more at full power and her children were with her, she would rip their souls apart. Oh yes, they would scream for her.

Until that day, however, she still had much to do. Slowly, carefully, Jenova began to weave her power and will over the flesh that remained of the Ancient woman she had long ago conquered. She would remake her body and join her with her sons.

She would be a goddess again.


End file.
